How to work safely in risky situations For small businesses 342345-ACC5839-Pressfile.indd 1 19/04/11 12:46 PM
Do I need to read this? Does your work involve: working at heights? working in dust, gas or fumes? working in confined spaces? working alone? Do you want to have some influence over your ACC work levies? If you ve answered yes to any of these questions, you should read this booklet.
What are the problems? Some jobs are made more difficult and dangerous by the environment in which you need to work. It s estimated that working in a confined space is 150 times more dangerous than doing the same job outside multiple deaths in confined spaces are not uncommon. Falling from heights continues to claim the lives of workers every year and many more are left with serious, lifelong injuries from falls. Working in polluted air is the cause of many cases of lung disease and these can be lifethreatening. Working on your own is particularly dangerous if you re injured and unable to get emergency help when you need it. This booklet will help you to deal with some of the risky working situations you might face in your business. Instead of saying, that ll never happen think about what the result might be if it does happen. 1
Why should you do something about it? Fewer injuries mean lower cost to your business and this becomes more apparent with the introduction of experience rating. Under experience rating, eligible businesses and self-employed people, who have lower-than-average injury rates, with better-than-average return-to-work rates, may get a discount on their levies. Those with worse-than-average claims experience may get a loading on their levy. Experience rating recognises and rewards those business owners with good claims experience. It also encourages businesses to prevent injuries in the workplace and when accidents do happen, help injured employees return to work as safely and quickly as possible. For more detailed information about experience rating please go to www.acc.co.nz/er. Work accidents usually have a huge impact on everyone involved the injured worker and their family, their workmates and the employer. This will put all of you (and your business) under a lot of stress. You have a legal responsibility to make sure people are not hurt in your workplace. What should you do now? You will need to: 1. Talk to your workers and identify all of the risky situations in which any of you may be needed to work. 2. Make sure your workers are trained and know how to work safely in these situations. 3. Go through the checklists in this booklet to make sure you re doing the job as safely as possible. 4. Get help to deal with any other risky situations you ve identified. Check the list on page 8 of this booklet for where to get further advice. 2
What do you need to look for? Any job that requires workers to be three metres or more off the ground: working on a roof that is made from old or weak materials that someone might fall through working on a roof where there is nothing to stop a worker sliding or slipping off the edge any work done from a ladder. Any job that involves working inside tanks, silos, sewers, vats, furnaces, pits or other confined spaces: working anywhere that does not have clean air eg contains chemicals, sludge, offal or sewage working in grains, sawdust or powders that could trap a worker and suffocate them any cleaning or maintenance jobs done in confined spaces. Any work that is done in polluted air: working in dust or fibres from wood, asbestos, cement, etc working in mist or steam containing chemicals from spray-painting, electroplating, pelt processing etc jobs that cause fumes from metalwork, welding, etc. Any work that is done alone: working in isolated or remote areas working out of mobile range. 3
Photocopy for your own use 4 Working at heights safety checklist If you answer yes to any questions on the checklist, you need to follow the Action required and indicate the date you completed it. Questions Yes No N/A Action required Date completed Ladders Do you use ladders in your work? Check to make sure using a ladder is the best way to do the job Make sure the ladders are designed for commercial use and in good repair Make sure that ladders are tied-off to stop them slipping sideways or out while they re being used Check to make sure workers don t have to overstretch from the ladder to do the job Scaffolding Do you use scaffolding in your work? Check that the scaffolding has been erected by a qualified person and tagged to say it is safe to use Make sure the ladder access/exit from the scaffold is safe Find out if the scaffold is strong enough to carry the weight of the materials you will be using on it Make sure the installer inspects the scaffold weekly to check that it s safe Check for overhead wires before moving mobile scaffolding and always lock the wheels as soon as it s in place Roofing Make sure access to and from the roof is safe Do you do any of your work on or from a roof? Make sure there is a fall arrest system in place; for example, edge protection to stop someone falling or sliding off the roof, or use a safety harness Check to see if there are any skylights or any old or weak roofing material that someone could fall through put barriers or covers in these areas
Photocopy for your own use Dust, gas and fumes safety checklist checklist If you answer yes to any questions on the checklist, you need to follow the Action required and indicate the date you completed it. Questions Yes No N/A Action required Date completed Find out if there are ways to do your work without producing the dust, gas or fumes Do you use any machines or processes that produce dust, gas or fumes? Where possible make sure these machines or processes are enclosed or isolated from workers Use a local ventilation system to remove as much of the dust, gas or fumes as possible Are there dusts, gases or fumes in your workplace that you can t isolate or enclose? Find out what sort of respirator, face mask or other safety gear is needed to protect yourself and your workers Are there dusts, gases or fumes in your workplace that you can t totally remove with ventilation? Give your workers the proper safety gear and train them in how to use it Check to make sure your workers are using the safety gear when they re supposed to Make sure they know what the health risks are from the dust, gas or fumes Check that they know how to use their respirators, face masks or other safety gear properly Are your workers using respirators, face masks or other safety gear to protect them from dust, gas or fumes? Have a schedule for regularly checking respirators and replacing filters Find out if you and your workers need to have regular health checks and arrange for a doctor to do this Arrange for them to see a doctor to have their health checked Contact the Department of Labour on 0800 20 90 20 for advice on how to manage the dust, gas or fumes safely Have any of your workers said they have felt unwell after working in dust, gas or fumes? 5
Photocopy for your own use 6 Confined spaces safety checklist If you answer yes to any questions on the checklist, you need to follow the Action required and indicate the date you completed it. Questions Yes No N/A Action required Date completed The danger of working in confined spaces cannot be stressed strongly enough you must contact the Department of Labour on 0800 20 90 20 for advice on how to do this work safely before you go ahead Does your work ever involve going inside: Make sure all of your workers know about the danger of working in confined spaces Check that none of your workers start work in a confined space without your approval to do so tanks? silos? sewers? vats? furnaces? pits? ducts? other enclosed spaces?
Photocopy for your own use Working alone safety checklist If you answer yes to any questions on the checklist, you need to follow the Action required and indicate the date you completed it. Questions Yes No N/A Action required Date completed Do you or your workers ever work alone? Check the job to make sure it can be done safely by one person eg lifting Give them a mobile or radio telephone (RT) so they can call for help if they need it Make sure you know exactly where the worker is and when they will be back. Check on them if they are late If you re working alone, make sure someone knows where you are and when you re due back Make sure vehicles contain first aid kits so injuries can be treated 7
Where can you get further information or help? Publications The following are some of the publications available from the Department of Labour: Guidelines for the Prevention of Falls. Safe Working in a Confined Space. A Guide to Respiratory Protection. Contact the Department of Labour Health and Safety For publications or advice, phone the Workplace Health and Safety Infoline, freephone 0800 20 90 20. To get help with difficult or technical health and safety problems, use the online Knowledgebase at: www.dol.govt.nz/workplace/knowledgebase/contact Contact ACC To contact the ACC Injury Prevention team, phone 0800 844 657 or email thinksafe@acc.co.nz 8
ACC5839 March 2011 ISBN: 978-0-478-36222-0 www.acc.co.nz 0800 844 657